Electric door-latch.



T. S. TORRESSON.

ELECTRIC D'OOR LATCH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. m4.

Patented May 11, 1915 b V/rf (V1 l/VVE/VTOR A TTOR/VEYS By M U/L d Is? )w u 4 ar-M9001 THE NORRIS PETERS c0. PHOTOVLITHOH WASHINGTON, D, c.

THOMAS S. TORRESSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC DOOR-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed March 18, 1914. Serial No. 825,445.

To'aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. Tonnes- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Door-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved electric door latch, the object of the same being to provide a device of this character which, when attached to a door, will prevent the latter from being opened, any attempt to open the door causing an alarm to be sounded by ringing an electric bell located at some convenient or desirable place, the device being so constructed and assembled, however, that by simply throwing the latch, the door may be opened and closed in every way the same as when the device is not attached thereto.

A further object of my invention is to provide a latch of this kind which shall be cheap to manufacture and install, neat and finished in appearance, and which may be thrown into or out of operative position by simply swinging a latch attached to the door into and out of engagement with the rest of the mechanism attached to the door frame.

With these and other ends in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a part of a door having my improved latch attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the door and frame just above the latch. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the device taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction as indicated by the arrow.

Referring to the drawings, 5 represents a door to which is pivoted one end of a latch or lever 6, by means of the screw 7, this lever being preferably provided with a knob or handle 8, whereby it may be conveniently swung on the pivot 7, the opposite end of the latch 6 being provided with a lug or projection 9, the purpose and function of which will be hereinafter explained. To the door frame 10 is secured a bracket, this bracket comprising a plate 11 secured to the frame by means of the screws 12 and having formed thereon, or secured thereto, an

outwardly and upwardly bent arm 13 provided With a central hole or opening 14. To this bracket is secured a push button comprising an outer shell or casing 15 containing a receptacle 16 extending through the opening 14 formed in the arm 13 and in which receptacle is contained the button 17, having extending inwardly therefrom the insulated stem or post 18, a coil spring 19 encircling this post or stem and havingone end thereof impinging against the bottom of the receptacle 16, and the opposite end against the button 17 the tendency of this spring being to hold or retain the button in its normal position for adjustment, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. It is to be noted in this connection that the button, 17, illustrated in Fig. 3 in its most extended position, is out of contact with the lateral projection 9, and does not extend nor protrude beyond the exposed extremity of the receptacle 14, thus allowing the latch to be easily closed to its seated position within the bracket and readily detached therefrom. To the receptacle 16 are secured the terminals 20, 21, and also the ends of the wires or conductors 22, 23, these terminals and conductors being insulated from the receptacle 16 by the insulating blocks 24. These wires or conductors 22, 23 lead to the battery 25 and electric bell 26, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the bell being arranged in a circuit in the usual way.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the lever or latch 6 is swung on its pivot and allowed to hang as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the door may be opened and closed in the usual way without ringing the alarm or bell 26. When, however, the latch 6 is swung on its pivot into the position as shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the end thereof will lie between the vertical plates 11 and 13 of the bracket, the lug or projection 9 lying opposite the button 17, and in contact therewith, or in close proximity thereto. When the parts are in this position, any attempt to open the door 5 will cause the lug or projection 9 on the latch 6 to push inwardly the button 17, the stem 18 thereupon completing the circuit through the terminals 20, 21, and causing the bell 26 to ring, the same continuing to ring until the door is allowed to again assume its normal position, whereupon the latch or lever 6 will again occupy the position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and the button 17 returned to its normal position as illustrated in Fig. 3, by the coil spring 19. The lug, 9, is relatively smaller than the button 17, thus allowing the same to mox e within the receptacle 1%, insuring the proper operation of the push button when the door is slightly open.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the device is exceedingly simple in its construction, is of few parts and can be easily and readily installed; further, that the device is exceedingly simple to operate, it being necessary only to swing the latch or lever 6 upon its pivot to throw it into or out of its operative position.

lVhat I claim is 1. An apparatus of the class described for use in connection with doors, comprising a latch movably and a keeper fixedly, secured to the door and its frame, a lug carried by the free end of said latch, an electric push button carried by said keeper and including a button and containing receptacle, said receptacle adapted to receive said lug therein.

2. An apparatus for use in connection with a door comprising a latch pivotally and a bracket fixedly secured to the door and its frame, said bracket including a base plate with an outwardly and then upwardly extending arm, an electric push button carried by the upwardly extending portion of said bracket arm, said push button including a receptacle and a button therein normally positioned flush with the open extremity thereof, said bracket base plate, arm, and push button defining an upwardly opening unencumbered receptacle adapted to removably receive the free extremity of said latch therein, said latch provided with a lug at its free extremity for engagement with said button.

Signed at New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 16th day of March A. D. 1914.

THOMAS S. TORRESSON.

WVitnesses:

JAY M. MAHoN, FRANK J. DUNLEER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

